Power play propels Ducks past Sabres

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) — Chris Kunitz and Corey Perry netted a power-play goal apiece in the third period to lift the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. Defenseman Chris Pronger also tallied and Jonas Hiller made 21 saves for the Ducks, who have won three of their last four […]

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ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) — Chris Kunitz and Corey Perry
netted a power-play goal apiece in the third period to lift the
Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on
Monday.

Defenseman Chris Pronger also tallied and Jonas Hiller made 21
saves for the Ducks, who have won three of their last four
games.

“We had some structure, things we wanted to implement as part of
the game plan and we were able to execute those and the power
play turned up big enough to win,” Pronger said. “We got two
goals that gave us a cushion.”

Teemu Selanne and blue-liner Steve Montador had two assists
apiece for Anaheim, which did not allow the Sabres to record a
shot for nearly the first 12 minutes of the final session.

With the score knotted at 1-1, Kunitz collected his 14th goal of
the season at 3:34 of the third.

“We have a group of guys out there that feel confident,” Kunitz
said. “Any time you wear them down the first time, you just
have to put the puck on the net. Any time you can capitalize on
it, it makes everybody feel better, feel more positive.”

After Pronger fired the puck into the zone, the Sabres failed to
maintain possession behind the goal line. Selanne forced a
turnover to Andrew Ebbett behind the net and he delivered a
centering pass to Kunitz, who converted with a one-timer between
the pads of Lalime.

“I was just trying to put it up on the net,” Kunitz said. “I
didn’t get as much of it as I wanted and it trickled back on
him. As long as you hit the net, you have a chance of putting
it in. I was just trying to redirect it on net.”

Just over five minutes later, Perry doubled the advantage with
his 17th tally of the campaign. Montador fired a slap shot from
the high slot that Lalime stopped, but Perry stuffed in the
rebound at 9:44 to give the Ducks a 3-1 lead.

“It was a good shot by (Montador). It just squeaked through the
goalie and it was sitting there on the line,” Perry said.
“Those are the kind of goals we need to have coming down the
stretch. They call them garbage goals, but somebody has to be
there.”

Rivet cut the deficit in half with 6:33 remaining, burying a
rebound off Paul Gaustad’s attempt. But Buffalo could not tie
the game, failing to score during a power play over the last
1:41.

“We played well in the first. We got into a little bit of
trouble in the second period. But I didn’t mind our third
period,” Ruff said. “I thought our workers did a good job. I
didn’t like our skill guys tonight, they didn’t get enough done
for us.

“Our workers were good tonight. Those guys weren’t getting the
job done. There wasn’t much coming from up top. The guys down
below were getting most of the work done.”